The Voices
by cartoonman39
Summary: Plucky is saying something to his classmates in Professor Sylvester's class, but suddenly, he's not able to speak because of the passing of his 1st and original voice actor, Joe Alaskey, and he must try to solve this problem himself.
Storyline

Plucky laughed his greatest laughter at Professor Sylvester's joke, and

he wasn't alone in the response.

Everybody in the class thought it was a pretty good 1, and their laughter proved it.

"Alright, everybody, settle down," said Sylvester right

after a few minutes. "We need to figure out how that worked. "Who wants to offer an explanation? Plucky?"

"Well, Professor Sylvester," said Plucky as a kind look formed on his

face, "I would say that when you used the..."

Plucky's voice stopped suddenly, and Sylvester's heart sank when

he saw what happened next. A confused look of alarm formed on

his student's face just as he gently touched his throat. Sylvester knew all

too well what that gesture meant, he and most of the faculty had

made it back in 1989, just before ACME Looniveristy opened.

"P-Plucky," he said silently to him. "y-you'd better go see the n-nurse."

Plucky silently nodded his head, and with a look of incomprehension on his

face, he headed right out the door.

Sylvester looked after him for a few minutes right before turning depressingly back to the class and saying, "Class dismissed."

The Toonsters looked at Sylvester with shock at that announcement, just as according to the cuckoo clock, the class wasn't even half over yet.

Nevertheless, they quickly filed out of the room, taking advantage of their new found free time. All except for Shirley.

"Professor Sylvester?" she asked tentatively. "What's the matter with

Plucky?"

"I can't say just yet, Shirley," said Sylvester silently. "But

you'll know soon enough now."

Shirley looked at Sylvester with incomprehension for a few seconds right before she too filed out of the classroom and headed for the nurse's

office to see what was troubling her boyfriend.

When she was gone, Sylvester picked up his cell phone and quickly punched in a certain number. "Bugs?" he said to him when the

rabbit on the other end picked it up, "we've got a problem, I think that Plucky just lost his voice."

When Plucky walked outta the nurse's office, he saw a worried looking Shirley waiting for him.

"Hi, Plucky," she said with concern. "Are you feeling alright?"

Plucky smiled weakly at her and silently shook his head. He pointed futilly at his throat, then his tear drops began flowing uncontrollably

just as he wept without making 1 single sound.

"Oh dear," said Shirley as she rushed frontwards to embrace him. She knew too well what Plucky had not been able to say meant, and she did her

best to help him.

Right after weeping silently her right shoulder for a few minutes, Plucky stepped right back and looked inquisitively at Shirley.

"Would you like me to walk home with you?"

Plucky nodded then, and taking Shirley's right hand in his own, they slowly walked right back to Plucky's house.

When they got there, Plucky looked at Shirley with thankfulness in his eyes and gestured towards his bedroom window.

"You wish to be alone for a little while?" she asked him.

All Plucky could do was nod, but it was enough.

Giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek, she said to him, "I'll see you real soon, let me know if there's anything I can do to help you."

Plucky nodded again depressingly right before turning slowly around and walking right into his house.

The depressing news spread right through Acme Acres like wildfire, because Joe Alaskey, the voice behind Plucky Duck and many other cartoon animated characters passed away from cancer complications at the age of 63 this year on Wednesday, February 3, and his classmates were really broken up over it.

Plucky was the 1st Toonster to ever face this problem, and while the others were worried about him, they couldn't help but think about facing it themselves some other day.

The Acme Looniversity faculty was also concerned, more outta sympathy over having been there though.

The passing of Mel Blanc only eight years ago was still a heavy memory for most of them.

Elmer Fudd, who had lost his voice back in 1959 when Arthur Q. Bryan passed away, felt a special sympathy over being the 1st Looney Tune so afflicted.

Hamton lost his voice when Don Messick passed away from a stroke at the age of 71 back on Friday, October 24, 1997. They knew that as such it was an even harder blow for Plucky to bare.

Plucky sat right as his desk in his bedroom and let out a depressed silent sigh.

He got plenty of support and sympathy from his good friends, but it was still very difficult for him.

In any single event, he knew what he had to do, and while he wanted to do it, he knew it would never be an easy task.

Going downstairs, he saw his mother, Maria, waiting for him, ready to go.

"Now, Plucky," said Maria, fighting back the tear drops, "it's gonna be alright, I know this is hard for you, and I'll do whatever I can to help you along, now are you ready to go?"

Plucky looked up at Maria, and just as a faint smiling face tugged right on the corners of his beak, he nodded and started out to the car.

It didn't take them long to reach their destination: the cartoon animation studio, where a memorial service was being held in

Joe's memories.

Just as Plucky entered the main work room, he saw that it was filled with cartoon animated characters from all of the major studios, all of them having come to honor Joe's memories and to offer condolences to those of their fellow cartoon animated friends that were the most greatly impacted by his passing.

Being one of those so impacted, Plucky looked around to meet the gazes of his fellow mourners.

Professor Daffy and Plucky's father, Roger Duck were both huddled in 1 corner of the room and not moving around.

Hamton's dad, Wade was with Professor Elmer, who was shedding silent tear drops.

Grandpa Lou Pickles looked depressed just as he starred at a picture of Joe hanging in the wall with all of the other voice cast members. Dealer looked even more sorrowful than usual just as he mumbly shook hands, and Broadsword Man looked depressed just as he stroked his beard and starred off into space.

These and all of the other cartoon animated characters that Joe gave his voices to would smile weakly just as good friends and co-workers offered condolences.

Plucky made his way over to the others, and he was relieved when they welcomed him to their circle without any hesitation, offering the silent condolences to him that they had already been sharing with 1 another.

Right after a while though, the others began eying him questioningly, and he knew exactly what that meant.

As the best major character that Joe gave his voice to, it was his responsibility.

Taking 1 deep breath to build up his courage and bravery, he walked right up to the podium, and tapped the microphone to get everybody's attention.

Just as the room was silent, Plucky took 1 long look over at the door to the recording booth, and just as 1 single tear drop came down his right eye, he said to them in a faint, unrecognizable whispering voice, "Goodbye, Joe."

End of fan story sequence…

This story is dedicated to the loving memories of Joe Alaskey (1952-2016), who created the voices for Plucky Duck and many other wonderful cartoon animated characters over very years of voice over acting.


End file.
